Stem remover



P 6, 1932- G. D. GARDNER 1,876,051

STEM REMOVER Filed Sept. 21, 1929 N V EN TOR.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES OF CALIFORNIA V Y PATENT'IFOFFIICE GEORGE D. GARDNER, E SAN .TosE, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoE, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,; T0 BARRONGRAY PACKING COMPANY, orsnn JOSE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION STEM EMovEE Application filed September 21, 1929. Serial No. 394,248.

The invention" relates to stem removers. "In the preparation of fruits and particularly'cherries, for canning or the like, it is necessary to remove the stems of the fruit.

5 Heretofore the stems were cut or pulled out of the fruit in such a manner, as to break the stem, leaving a partof the stem in the "fruit. To pull'the stems out of fruit, by hand, would be very ineificient and costly, when fruits are prepared on a large scale,

Theprimary object of this invention is the 'provlsion of amechanical stem remover,

which positively grips the stems of the fruit, and. exerts thereon'a pulling force in such a manner as to positively remove the entire stem from the fruit; the fruit-being held by suitable means against any tendency to follow the stem movement.

Another object of'theinvention is to provide'a stem remover for cooperation with a fruit holding member; theiruitbeing advanced in said member so that the stems of the fruit project in the same direction; the stem remover being adapted to grip a plupull'the same out of the fruit without breaking the same or leaving any portionthereof in. the fruit. f l I Another object of the invention is to pro vide a stem remover cooperating with a fruit holding chute in whichlatter the fruit is advanced so that the stems of the fruit pro- .ject outofthe chute in the'same direction;

thereon mechanically advanced" toward and away from the said chute, and being actuated .at a point nearest to the chute to close upon the stems projecting therefrom, and to firmly vanced away from the chute, therebyto posi tively remove thestems from the fruit.

- -Particularly it is the object ofthe invention to provide a stem'remover, which is open when it approaches a fruit holder, in which the fruit is arranged that the stems thereof project beyond the holder in the same direction, the said remover being adapted to close and to grip the projecting stems and ralityof the stems injone operation and to the stem remover having gripping means pullthe same out of the fruit, when adthen to be moved away from the holder in its gripping position, thereby pulling out'the stems from the fruit. t a Other objectsand advantages are to-provide a stem remover that will be superior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness of operation, and facility and convenience in use and general efficiency. f

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but itv i's to be understood that the invention is not limited to suchform, because it may be embodied in other forms; and it is also to be I,

understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

The inventionis clearly illustrated in the" accompanying drawing wherein I Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the fruit retainer, and the stem remover, on theline 11 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 2 is an end view'of the stem remover; "In its general organization my invention comprises a fruit holder-A, a stem gripping mechanism B, and means to advance said gripping mechanism in an open position toward the holder, then closing the same upon the stems of the fruit, and then moving the mechanism B away from the holder A, in its gripping position, so as to pull the stems out of the fruit held in the holder A. g V

In carrying out my invention I make use of a chute 6 of substantially semi-circular cross section, which is disposed in an inclined posi tion. A longitudinal slot 7 extends throughout the length of the chute 6, whereby the latter is split in two halves. In the chute is placed the fruit to be treated, in the present application cherries 8. By vibrating the chute 6 in any conventional manner, not

vanced by vibration and gravity in said chute 6, with their stems 9 depending from the chute 6 thru said slot 7.

v The stems 9 are pulled out of the cherries 8, by the movement of the gripping mechanism A, toward and away from the fixed chute ,6. The gripping 'is' accomplished" by gripping-arms}11, each being curved in U-- V shape. The arms 11 are pivoted at the lower,

inner endslg thereof, on apivot bolt 13 common toboth arms, .l The end'12 of one arm] is reduced in cross section, the end 12 of the other arm 11 is bifurcated so as to straddle the narrower end. In the free end 14 of e'ach arm '11 is mounted a gripper lining strip. 16,v so that the lining strips 14'of the opposite -arms ;11 face eaclrother. The lining strips 16 are made preferably of rubber or a like elastic material: a A spring 17 between the inner faces of the-armsll urges the same apart aroundthelpivoted ends 12 thereof, ,so-as to tend to cause the moving of'the lin ing-strips16 apart into open position. It is to be noted that the free end 14 of each arm i zisw ngated into aninclined jaw, -substantially. ;chute;6.

parallel with the incline. of-the Inprderto move the gripping mechanism Bv toward and awayjfrom'the chute .6, the

pivot bolt 13 is mounted on the. endof a shaft .18, hi ch in turn is attached'at the other end thereofto an eccentric band 19 ofaneccentric .21. .The shaft 18 and the'gripping mechanism A thereon are reciprocated by the rota;- tion ofthe eccentric21 and by the corresponding lineal movement of the eccentric-band 19. .In its reciprocation the shaft 18' is guided inna preferably vertical bearing 22 extending from a bracket 23. The bracket 23 is mountedon a suitable base 24. The eccentric 21 is rotated bythe rotation of a shaft 26,fjournaledin a bearing 27. of the bracket '23zand in a bearing bracket 28 on the base 24. v V

- By rotating the shaft 26, the eccentric 21 is rotated and the entire gripping mechanism -B"is; reoiprocatedtoward and away from the chute 6.

Inprderto pull out the stems 19 from the cherries 8, it is necessary; to close the griplping jaws and linings 16 againsteach other at a time when the'grippingmechanism B is iin its' highermost position, nearest to the "chute 6. .Then the mechanism B' must be 'moved awayfromthe chute 6, pulling the 'grippedstems 9 out of the cherries 8, the latter being held in the chute 6. At a certain [point of its travel away' from the chute 6, the grippingmechanism-B must be opened to releasethe removed stems'9, and then the openmechanism B is to be movedback to- "Ward the'chute 7-. I

The opening and closing ofthe gripping mechanism B, at the proper points of its 'travelis' accomplished by the-movement of "le'i e'rsfl29fi [Each lever 29 is pivoted at 31, intermediate it's ends, on'lateral'extensions 32 17 upon the. armsll.

of the bracket 23. There is one lever 29 on each side of the mechanism B. The ends 33 of the levers 29 nearerto the base 24, are reduced in thickness, and. overlap each other.

Each end '33 has an elongated slot 34 therein. A'pivot pin 36 extends thru said-slot 34 pivotally attaching thelever ends-33 to each v otherwith freedom of limited play, to compensate for the, arcuatemovement of said ends around the fulcrum 31 of'the' levers 29." The free ends 37 of thelevers'29are enlarged to form a longitudinaltrack 38"there-.

on. Upon the tracks 38 ride rollers 39, each rollerbeing. journaled in an ear 41 extending outwardly fromthe arms 11, one roller opposite each end of the spring.,17. 4111118, the rollers 39are'pressed againstthe tracks 38 by the outward urging action of the spring If thelevers 29 were-free to turn, around their respective fulcrums 3 1, then the action of the springv 17 would hold the. arms 11 apart at all times. 7 In order to'holdthelevers29 in gripping position, I provide acam 42,

keyed on the shaft 26, between the-eccentric? 21 andthe bracket 23. The eccentric portion 43 of'thecam 42i's. so arranged asto'press the lever ends 33 towardfthe base 24at times, and to allow the movement of saidends-33 away from'the base, at other times. 'Whe nri the ends 32 are heldin the position-thereof vof'the shaft 26 will. rotate the eccentric 21. 0

as to move 'thejgripping mechanismxB away "from'the chute 6. The cam 42 rotates a with the eccentric 21, and the eccentric po'rtion43 thereof holds the levers in grippingposition to a certain part of-the downward movement-i2:

of the mechanism By: After the eccentric portion 42 is rotated past the lever. ends 33,

the levers29 are allowed tovbe moved outwardly, due to the pressureof the spring 17 on the arms .11.; The eccentric portion 43 i: then travels around withthe rotation of the shaft 26, and it does not reach thele'ver ends 33 until the eccentric 21 and the" shaft again bring the gripping mechanism into its position nearest to the chute 6. In this'poi:

sitionfthe' eccentric portion 43 again" bears against the lever "macs thereby causingthe griping mechanism B to firmly grip the stems 9 of another bunch'ofcherries 8 descending in the vibratingchute 6'. Thisoperati'onis repeated once in every revolution of the shaft26;

Rotation maybe transmitted to "the shaft 26in any conventional manner, suchas thru a pulley 44 driven by a suitable prime mover.

It will be recogniz d that a particularly simple mechanism is provided to remove the stems from fruit by causing a firm gripping element to approach a group of stems in open position, then to firmly grip the stem, and pull the same out of the fruit. The device is simple in construction and positive in operation; it does not require any careful setting or adjustment, therefore it readily lends itself to effective application by the labor ordinarily available.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. The combination with means to hold fruit with the stems thereof projecting in the same direction therefrom, of a stem remover non-gripping position, when the said elements are released by said levers. V f

3. The combination with means to hold and advance fruit with its stems extending in the same direction, of a stem remover comprising comprising a frame disposed in operative relation to said holding means; opposed gripping elements, means on said frame to support and reciprocate said elements, the latter being pivotally mountedon the reciprocating means "to permit the movement of said elements toward and away from each other; means to normally urge the said elements away from each other; means on the frame to force said elements against each other,said last mentioned means being operated in synchronism with the said reciprocating means to close said elements into gripping position at an end of their stroke, and to maintain the elements in gripping position during a part of their return stroke, said element closing means comprising an actuating lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the frame, adjacent each element; an end of each lever being adapted to engage one of the elements to force the same toward the otherelement; and an actuating member related to said reciprocating means and acting upon the other end of each lever to urge the first mentioned end thereof against the respective element at the end of a stroke of said elements and during a part of their return stroke.

2. The combination with an inclined holder for advancing fruit therein so that the stems of the fruit project from said holder in the same direction, of a stem remover comprising a frame operatively related to said holder; gripping elements; reciprocating means on the frame to which each element is pivoted to move said elements toward and away from said holder; gripping jaws on the free ends of said elements adapted to grip a plurality of said stems; a lever adjacent each element being pivoted intermediate its ends on said frame; means operated in synchronism with said reciprocating means to act upon the said levers so as to urge an end of each lever against the respective element, so as to close the elements in gripping position at the end of their stroke toward the holder, and to maintain said elements in closed position at the first part of their return stroke; and re-,

silient means to urge said elements into a 

